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Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, once the state capital of what was Louisiana, has since turned into a virtual police state under the control of a raider gang led by one General Haddcock. Originally a quiet trading town, where those wishing to avoid The Royaume could come and do business without much attention and where one could find a cheap place to sleep before heading out again, Baton Rouge now sports armed patrols both within and outside of the walls to make sure that any people believed to be "destabilizing the glorious city of Baton Rouge" are "quickly dealt with, through any measures viewed necessary by the various officers of the law." History Pre War Baton Rouge's history dates back to 1699, where French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville found a pole decorated with slain animals that marked the boundaries of hunting grounds between two local tribes. Calling the location "le bâton rouge", or the red stick, the French proceeded to found Baton Rouge. Since the establishment of the city, Baton Rouge had been under the control of France, Britain, Spain, Louisiana, the Florida Republic, the Confederate States, and the United States. During the 1950's and 1960's, Baton Rouge underwent an economic boom as the result of the Petrochemical industry. The city rapidly expanded from it's original center, before the economic boom slowed down and the government in Baton Rouge moved back to it's original center. The city experienced another economic boom in the 1990's, where new construction sprang up across the city. However, during this time of economic boom, the city kept on pushing past the date of when the levee's were going to be repaired. This trend of pushing the repair date back continued up until the day the Atomic Bombs fell. However, by the time the atomic fires of the Great War destroyed Baton Rouge, the economic boom had collapsed. Many of the construction projects that were supposed to be completed during the 1990's still stood as steel husks, rusted and creaking as they swayed in the wind. The petrochemical industry was on a tail spin in Baton Rouge, with oil (the resource needed in order to make said petrochemical's) quickly becoming an extinct resource and with less of a demand for the now costly products. Riots over the economic situation, and the lack of food, in the city were common-place; as was the new site of National Guardsmen and riot police patrolling the streets on the lookout for any potential trouble makers. By the time the bombs had fallen around Baton Rouge (which wasn't even given a cursory bombing), the city had already declared a state of emergency. Riots, murders and rape skyrocketed in the initial aftermath of the bombings. What National Guardsmen and police officers that were left attempted to restore order, often by shooting anybody they came across that looked suspicious and hauling those that didn't die to small 'prison camps'. However, with the levees broken in New Orleans, the Mississippi River swept passed the levees that were already in disuse and destroyed a large swath of the city that hadn't already been destroyed. After the flood waters receded, only a small portion of the city's building remained standing; with the rest destroyed by the floods and riots or on the verge of collapse. In the aftermath of both the atomic war and the natural disaster that shortly followed it, whatever police and National Guard units left combined and assumed control of the city. Up until the point in which the first elections were held, Baton Rouge functioned as a closed off military dictatorship (something it would later return too). Post War For seventy years following the Great War, the National Guard-Police dictatorship kept order within the city as it was struggling to reestablish itself after the Great War. At first, the people of Baton Rouge were grateful about having men carrying assault rifles that knew how to use to protect them; rather than running off into the Wastes in order to become private militia's as many soldiers that were stateside now chose to do. However, as the city began to establish itself in the Wastes and build an economy; many of the younger members of the community resented the dictatorship that had protected them for so long. Restlessness grew throughout the city, and with many of the original police and National Guardsmen dead and leaving only poorly-trained successors; the military dictatorship stepped down and allowed for free elections. Quickly electing a popular merchant as the town Mayor, the city then opened itself up for trade. Many traveling merchants, who had been worried about the strict military government beforehand, started to make stops in the city on their way to or back from The Big Easy. The economy within the city flourished, with the wealth managing to find itself into a good majority of the population from the trickle-down effect. Baton Rouge gained the reputation as a town for those looking for a place to trade aside from Royaume territory in southern Louisiana. It was an orderly place to do business, where merchants could come and buy or sell without being worried about a thief sticking a knife in their back. Up until five years ago, the democrat government (almost universally) run by merchants in the town was a success. However, once Mayor Christopher Steran was elected several problems that were already in place began to shove their way to the surface. Despite the fact that merchants did control Baton Rouge and most of the time money floated down to the lower classes; the flow of money began to cease as merchants chose to start buying food and other essentials from traveling merchants at a cheaper price than the farmers living outside of the city. The merchants then proceeded to increase the prices of food and other basic necessities causing many to lose most of their income in purchasing staples. Also, many of the merchant-mayors chose to take special 'favors' from other merchants in order to allow for their own business to flourish; allowing corruption to spread. Mayor Steran gave several special favors to certain parts of the cities militia in order to keep the people in line, which only continued to aggravate many of the lower-class members of the cities population. Five years ago Roger Haddock, a captain in the Baton Rouge militia, began to notice the public's discontent and saw an opportunity to take control of the city. Running for mayor, Haddock gained the support of the lower class on the promise of economic welfare for all and that "Baton Rouge is for Baton Rougeians"; Haddcock also gained the support of most of the city's militia via promised favors or bribes. Mayor Steran's, concerned about the then Captain Haddcock's growing power, sent what militia that was loyal to him to arrest him during the early hours of the morning on June 30th in an effort to keep his position of mayor secure. However, Captain Haddcock had long since moved to the lower-class area of Baton Rouge; where most of his supporters lived. Once the militia began to enter the area, they began to be fired upon by the various supporters of Haddcock. Haddcock, expecting his takeover to happen in at a much later time, was wholly unprepared for both the attempted arrest and the sudden rebellion by his supporters. Haddcock's own faction of the militia also found themselves surprised by the turn of events, expecting an order by Haddcock himself for the coup to begin. Members of Steran's faction of the Baton Rouge militia also attempted to arrest them for trial, where they did succeed in arresting those staying in the barracks. However, those that were on guard duty and loyal to Haddcock weren't arrested and found themselves swept up in the rebellion. Haddcock himself took up a command post in the Louisiana State University for the time being; which was in the same location of many of the lower class of the city with whatever militia loyal to Haddcock making there way to him. During the early part of the battle, Steran's militia had succeeded in establishing defensive situations throughout the city. However, instead of pushing forward and destroying what little forces Haddcock had (at that time) they instead hunkered down and set up roadblocks in an attempt to lay siege to the area surrounding the Louisiana State University. During this lull that followed the intense beginning of the battle, Haddcock had time to organize what civilian volunteers that joined with Haddcock spontaneously and what militia forces managed to escape the arrests Steran's militia attempted to give out. Preforming aggressive attacks just after the break of down on June 30th on the positions that Steran's militia held throughout Baton Rouge, Haddcock's militia managed to break through portions of the line by the early afternoon and forcing Steran's militia to fallback to the Old Louisiana Capital Building where Mayor Sterans and his government had taken up shelter. By nightfall of June 30th, Haddcock's militia controlled most of the city (including the Mall of Louisiana, where merchants had set up a bazaar inside) and were regrouping and planning for the assault on the Old Louisiana Capital Building. On July 1st, instead of the heroic last stand that Mayor Sterans expected his militia to give, a group of members of Sterans militia walked outside of the Old Louisiana Capital Building and asked for terms. Haddcock made his terms simple. Those inside of the Old Louisiana Capital Building who surrendered would not be harmed, aside from those that were in Mayor Steran's cabinet. The majority of the Steran's militia quickly surrendered after that, and Mayor Sterans and his government were killed by firing squad within the hour. Assuming control of the Baton Rouge government, the newly self-promoted General Haddcock quickly began addressing the issues that he promised the Baton Rouge people long before the rebellion. Forcing each merchant to pay a large amount in 'revolutionary tax', General Haddcock began redistributing the newly extorted wealth to the lower class. General Haddcock also kicked out the various traveling merchants within the city, and those that chose to stay were forced to pay a even larger amount of money to General Haddcock's government. Despite the uproar in the merchants of the city, the lower class were supportive of the new government, happy for once to actually have the basic necessitates without using most of their income. One of the final pieces of the puzzle that allowed General Haddcock to rule with almost unlimited power was a raider attack on the city. Although the raiders didn't do much damage to the city, only injuring a dozen people, it allowed General Haddcock to declare a state of martial law; much like the National Guardsmen and police from before the Great War. Many outside of the city suspect that the raiders were actually mercenaries hired in order to create a climate of fear. With the express purpose of protecting the city at large, citizen's private guns were taken from them and the militia began to set up checkpoints around the city in order to "protect the citizens of Baton Rouge" while concurrently keeping tabs on the population and their movements around the city. Outside of the city, the militia began to send out small patrols "with the purpose of being an advance guard against any foreign invaders." However, General Haddcock's true purpose was to scout out the nearby area for lands to conquer; only to find (much to his annoyance and dismay) that The Royaume nearly surrounded him on all sides and thus forcing him to wait until an opportune moment in order to strike at them. Important Locations Old Louisiana State Capital Building The seat of government in Baton Rouge. Currently, it's occupied by General Haddcock as a mixture of his own house and as a place for his 'army' to plot against local forces outside of the city. Originally built in 1847, the old building had lasted as a museum dedicated to the state of Louisiana up until the Great War. After the Great War, the building largely fell into decay before repairs began under the behest of the first mayor of Baton Rouge. Since then, the building had functioned as the seat of power in Baton Rouge. Normally, ten to twenty members of General Haddcock's militia are either patrolling outside of the castle or inside of it; with some manning the walls in the event of a sudden coup. Mall of Louisiana Built only twenty years before the Great War, the Mall of Louisiana was located in what was once a rather upscale part of Baton Rouge. It was only two stories tall, with the second floor housing only a small movie theater. In essence, it was in many respects a normal American mall aside from the fact that the ground floor was the second largest in the state. After the war, the Mall was quickly looted and left abandoned. However, by the time of Mayor Sterans election, it had been converted to a bazaar with merchants hawking everything from water to firearms. The firearms section of the market, since General Haddcock's rise to power, had since been taken away with the accordance of the decree of "no guns within the city" pushed by General Haddcock. Here, if it's legal within the city of Baton Rouge, you could find it. There is also a present black market where those willing to shell out the extra money can buy 'wasteland firearms', firearms homemade in the wastes and of subpar quality. Still, it allows some merchants to make extra money and citizens to know they aren't completely defenseless. Louisiana State University The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, or often just refereed to as the Louisiana State University, was founded in Baton Rouge in 1860; with it's former location being at Pinesville, Louisiana in 1853. In 1969, Louisiana State University ended mandatory ROTC for Freshmen and Sophomores; which angered some members of the local National Guard. During the riots before the Great War, the National Guard used Louisiana State University as a command post and as a makeshift barracks. After the bombs fell, a majority of the city's citizens fled to LSU in order to take advantage of the National Guard offering protection there. As time passed, the University and it's surrounding area became the lower-class section of the city. The old dorm buildings have been converted into a sort of apartment style housing for those who can afford to live there while shanty towns, built by General Haddock and his militia during his race for mayor, are for the free and open use for all. Old eduction buildings have either been long since scavenged for building materials or more, or have been converted into small fortification for General Haddock's militia. During the Battle of Baton Rouge, General Haddcock set up his command post inside one of the old dorm buildings on the former LSU campus, which has now been renamed the "Haddock Hotel" by the local population. The Louisiana State University is also where the majority of General Haddcock's supporters reside, all of them grateful for General Haddock building them free housing. New New Swankville New New Swankville is, as the name might barely suggest, is the third reincarnation of the shanty town of Swankville. Swankville was a small tent town created in the outskirts of the ruins of Baton Rouge as a way for people to escape from the hard-lined rule of General Haddock. The first Swankville was destroyed in an accidental fire while the second Swankville was put to torch (followed by a massacre which killed twenty-seven people) by Haddcock's militia. New New Swankville is a major hub for the various people living outside of General Haddcock's control. There is no one ruler in New New Swankville, with it's population being so low citizens (estimated to be around forty or so people at it's peak) often decide issues with a simple majority vote. It has an almost commune-like feel with art, philosophy and politics being discussed freely in the streets unlike in General Haddock controlled Baton Rouge. New New Swankville has a small stash of firearms, which they plan to use in the event General Haddcock sends his militia in again despite the overwhelming odds that the defenders would face against General Haddock's militia. Culture Despite being in power for only five years, General Haddcock is quickly forming a cult of personality based around him and his dictatorship. On almost every surface that can be painted on within the city, there is an effigy of General Haddcock's face or a crude poster tacked up on a nearby wall. Most of the lower class citizens actually appreciate General Haddcock's various polices; viewing them as a way to help keep Baton Rouge for the natives of Baton Rouge and helping money go to where it is needed most; to the people. In return for having protection and a steady supply of "cash-back", taken from Extorted Merchants and toll roads outside of the city, they are fine with having their civil liberty's taken away, or at least for the time being. Another staple of Baton Rouge is the various members of General Haddcock's militia standing guard at checkpoints around the city or patrolling on the sidewalks on the lookout for any people not from Baton Rouge or those breaking the law. Often the punishment for breaking the law (which the law breaker might not even know he or she is breaking the law) if often a quick beat down with the but of their rifles or, in more extreme cases, being dragged outside of the city and shot for 'treason'. Outside of the areas that General Haddcock controls within Baton Rouge, there is a noticeable change. Although, occasionally, General Haddcock sends out a small group of militia fighters to destroy a squatter camp that was attempting to smuggle arms into Haddcock's section of Baton Rouge; the area is noticeably free of influence from General Haddcock. A good majority of the population outside of Haddcock's Baton Rouge were supporters of the late Mayor Sterans and fled outside of the 'civilized' portion of the city after the collapse of the Stearns government. Despite this freedom, they still live under the shadow of General Haddcock's dictatorship. Numerous shanty towns made by Squatters have been lit on fire for perceived 'rule-breaking', and in several cases squatters had been rounded up en-masse and sent to various labor camps within Baton Rouge to work on public improvements such as repairing crumbling buildings or working on the small plots of land within Baton Rouge itself. Notable Individuals General Roger Haddock The current leader of Baton Rouge, Roger Haddock was originally a captain in Mayor Stearn's militia. He saw the discontent amongst the lower class citizens of the city and invented himself as a man of the people during his race for the mayor. Following his takeover, he has once again invented himself as the fatherly-like ruler of Baton Rouge who works tirelessly in order to make sure that no one hurts the people of Baton Rouge. In reality, he is a brutal ruler that does whatever he needs to in order to stay in power. He tortures, orders the killing and exiles whoever and whomever will threaten or who could possibly threaten his power. He maintains his public persona carefully, only revealing his hidden side to his most trusted of lackeys. His eventual goal is to take over more territory for himself, his southward expansion being blocked by The Royaume. Military The Baton Rouge militia numbers one hundred and seventy fighters, all of them equipped with the standard vaguely camouflage uniform along with a semi-automatic rifle with several spare magazines of ammunition and a melee weapon. The militia divides itself into ten to fifteen man squads if they are patrolling outside of the city or into six to eight man squads if they are manning a checkpoint or patrolling within the city. Each squad has at least squad member that is armed with a light machine gun or rocket launcher and another squad member that is equipped with from two to three fragmentation grenades. Within the militia, there is a smaller fourteen squad of Swampers. Typically armed with smaller submachine guns along with their chosen melee weapons (which is typically a two-handed sword or something similar) along with heavy metal armor. Their main role is to act as a small group of shocktroopers. They are kept separate from the rest of the militia, partially by the Swampers own choice and by the rest of the militias desire not to be around the rather large and angry tribals. General Haddock maintains a secret unit within the militia referred to as Haddock's Heroes. Chosen from the best and brightest recruits in the militia, they are used as special operation forces for secret missions. Very little is known about them, but, it is suspected that they are used to conduct long range operations against General Haddock's rivals. Economy The economy of Baton Rouge is mostly based on extorting merchants that pass through on the way to New Orleans or on there way back from New Orleans. Members of Baton Rouge's militia can often be seen in groups of ten to fifteen patrolling outside of the city, on the lookout for any trading caravans. Once they see one, they often charge a toll tax. Merchants who don't pay the toll tax are usually shot and their goods stolen for the "good of Baton Rouge." In order to help control river trade, various members of Baton Rouge's militia have built rafts in order to stop other passing rafts and to extort them for what they own. This policy of extorting has put a dent in their relationship with the Royuame and with near-by towns as well (along with their attempted polices of aggressive expansion). With Baton Rouge's steep toll prices, the traders have to double or triple the costs of their products for their customers down river. Although it lines the pocket of the militia in Baton Rouge, it hurts the general wasteland economy. Baton Rouge also maintains a small amount of farming within the city itself, producing just enough to feed the people within the city. If there was a drought or a crop failure within the city, the militia would have to either make a trade agreement with nearby factions for food or attempt to take over nearby farmland. Relations *Houma: It's a little pissant town with people used to being under someone's boot. If it weren't so deep into Royaume territory, Haddock would have already launched a takeover attempt. *Scott's Town/Vermilionville: Baton Rouge's closest neighbor to the south is poorly regarded by Haddock and his men. Not only is it a den of Royaume vipers; there's also those Robichaux technocrats who are worse in their own way. At least the Royaume reveres its warrior class, but the Robichaux have the fool notion that egghead scientists and engineers are the most qualified to govern. Haddock wants to incorporate Lafayette into his fledgling state, but he couldn't hope to keep his gains and protect his home from a New Orleans-based retaliation. *The Big Easy: The Big Easy actually appeals to Haddock and his men, everyone enjoys a good time after all. Of course it's positively teeming with Royaume. Haddock would dearly love to attack the town, but it would leave his home exposed to the Royaume from Lafayette. He has the ability to disrupt trade from the north by locking down river traffic along the Mississippi, but doing so too often would unite Narcisse and the Royaume which would just about dash his chances of taking the city in his lifetime. *Swampers: Although Haddcock could care less for the worthless swamps, small groups of Swamper mercenaries trickle northward to sign on for Haddcock's army. The Swampers that sign on are usually warriors that left the clan over a personal disagreement or was banished from the clan as a punishment for some crime. Most Swampers (they currently make up only fourteen members out of Haddcock's hundred and seventy militia) sign on only for the chance to 'beat up some people' and are normally kept separate from the other Militia troops. Most Swamper Clans give somewhat of an approval to Haddcock, due to his current economic war with the Royaume. However, it's unlikely they'll give any sort of support besides words of encouragement unless it would benefit them. *Boss Town: Although too far to the north for Haddcock to consider taking it over for expanding his empire without leaving Baton Rouge too exposed for attack, General Haddcock views Boss Town in favor with there Anti-Royaume stance. Plus the wild atmosphere of Boss Town is appealing to some of General Haddcock's troops, with squads occasionally venturing north to party during their two week long R&R period. General Haddcock also occasionally sends state-sponsored traders north to Boss Town in order to trade for supplies, and some merchants from Boss Town are allowed to freely enter the city without paying the toll most Merchants already do. Category:Places Category:Communities